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lied? Why would I lie?
I know Max didn t shoot that man. You know it, too.
Actually, what he knew was exactly the opposite. Not really.
Come on, Amanda. You are a smart girl. You had me watched for
months. What motive did I have to hurt him? I never even met the
guy. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like
Draven, he wanted to add, but didn t.
How should I know that? You needed someone to blame, and
your friends found out Max, and he had an argument about a parking
space. I know that wasn t a first robbery. I also know the police were
pressured to solve the case. You took the easiest way out.
Amanda, Benson tried to object in a tired voice.
Hold Your Fire 81
I told you to shut up.
That s not the way it works, Jay said. And you sound like
Max.
It was what Max insinuated on the witness stand. The DA wasn t
able to break him. He didn t tell it, just hinted at it, which gave it
more credibility. Jay remembered Corigan being incensed about his
tactic. They still had no suspect about the other robberies. Something
clicked in his brain. The robberies. They were big news. And Max
wore his cell on his belt. Expensive suit. Expensive car. He knew
about the robberies. He played the bait. Then he would ve had an
excuse to shoot.
So you do remember him.
I remember him very well, actually, Jay said in a flat tone. I
watched him kill a man. Something like that tends to stick.
He didn t kill that man, Amanda said in derisive tone. Where
would he get the gun? You never found the gun. You know why?
Because it s still on the streets, in the hands of whoever shot that
guy.
We do have the gun, Frank said at that.
Sure we do, Victor confirmed. He went to the door, opened it,
and returned seconds later. He tossed the gun on the table in front of
Amanda. She glanced at it, then raised her eyes to Jay. That s not his
gun. That s my father s gun. What, you didn t think I would
remember?
Trying to trick my client, Detective? Benson appeared on safe
ground again.
Not really, Jay said mildly. You re right about one point. That
is your father s gun. He uncrossed his arms and approached the desk.
That was a surprise, you know.
What?
Benson was now uneasy.
You told Max about the gun.
Amanda frowned at him. So what?
82 Sunny Day
Or did he ask about it? Either way, you told him, showed him
perhaps? He was fascinated by it, liked it, didn t he?
Something flickered in Amanda s eyes.
You must ve told him the code for your father s safe. Can t see
any other way he would ve got it, Jay continued conversationally.
He wanted to use it. He was used to power the money gave him over
the people, now he wanted to see what kind the gun would give him.
It was just bad luck I was there to see him. He must ve been high after
it happened. Did you notice it? Maybe you did. I bet you did. You re
an observant girl. We didn t arrest him right away. He had enough
time to get rid of the gun. He went to see you, and put it back from
where he took it. A brilliant move, I ll admit. We d never have found
it. It wouldn t have occurred to us.
He smiled thinly at her. At least not until you used it to commit
another crime.
Speechless, she just stared at him. You lie. But she looked
shaken. Satisfied, Jay took a step back.
Detective. Benson found it prudent to interfere. Throwing lies
at my client
He isn t lying, Victor said helpfully. The bullets do match the
gun. Don t think his appeal will work, not now that we have the
murder weapon. He tapped the gun on the table meaningfully.
He isn t going to be grateful for the stunt you pulled.
You lie, Amanda repeated, this time in a louder voice.
Whatever lets you sleep at night. Shrugging, Jay left the room.
You are lying! Amanda screamed at him. He ignored her. Once
he was outside, he leaned heavily onto the wall and took a big gulp of
air. This was more tiring than he d anticipated. He felt drained.
Well done, Madison, Richards congratulated him. You rattled
her. Morgensen and Rawlins should be able to take it from here.
Yeah. Jay closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down. He
was starting to get a headache. He couldn t believe this was all over.
He felt Greg put his hand on his shoulder. Without thinking, Jay
Hold Your Fire 83
leaned into him. He inhaled his lover s scent and willed himself to
relax. They were both safe.
I almost feel sorry for her, Greg said softly, looking at Amanda.
She did all that for love.
Stunned, Jay raised his head. What?
Greg s lieutenant made a sound of disbelief. You feel sorry for
her? She shot you.
I know. Greg looked at Amanda again. She was in love. People
do crazy things for love. Greg s grip on Jay tightened. He glanced at
the two lieutenants still in the room, but he couldn t make himself
move away from Greg.
Yeah, he said, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on
Greg s shoulder. People do.
* * * *
I can t believe you did that. Jay fumed, striding over the
hospital parking lot toward his car. He didn t bother slowing down to
check if Greg was still behind him. When he d offered to drive him to
the hospital for his checkup, he hadn t planned on this. His cheeks
heated as he remembered what happened.
Come on, it wasn t that bad, Greg answered. He sounded
amused, the bastard. Jay, who had almost reached his car, whirled
around to face him. It wasn t the smartest move he could have made,
because it put him between Greg s muscular body and the car. Greg
grinned, his eyes gleaming. He backed Jay up against the car. Jay
refused to feel intimidated.
It wasn t that bad? he demanded incredulously. It wasn t that
bad? Jay had guessed he would only be needed to drive Greg to the
hospital and back. He figured he should hang around in case Greg
needed him. The guilt was still eating at him. Greg wouldn t have
been shot if it wasn t for him. Amanda had confessed that much. So
he had taken a half day off the job and followed Greg into the
84 Sunny Day
doctor s office, a cup of hot coffee in his hand. He d almost choked
on it when he heard Greg s words.
Have I embarrassed you? Greg purred, his hands landing on the
car on either side of Jay s body. Jay shifted uneasily, Greg s body
pushing into his, his scent causing desire to quickly rise up inside
him.
You asked him if you can have sex. With your boyfriend, and all
that while I was inside!
It was a reasonable question to ask, Greg answered mildly. Jay
cast a nervous look over his shoulder. The parking lot was half empty,
but they still were in public.
It was not!
Greg grinned devilishly. He leaned to nip at Jay s earlobe. Don t
you want to know? A gust of hot breath teased the skin behind Jay s
ear. He shivered in anticipation, and his cock twitched. Images
flashed in his mind of the last time he was this close to Greg.
Jay closed his eyes in mortification.
Did you have to go into such...detail?
Asking the question apparently wasn t enough for Greg. While
Jay was sputtering, he and the doc continued to talk.
It was necessary, Greg answered matter-of-factly. Jay sighed.
Greg s arm was apparently healing nicely, but the doctor still
wanted him to avoid putting unnecessary strain on it. That led to a
lengthy discussion about possible positions that would be easiest on
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